Two seniors led Watson Chapel to an important victory Friday night in their final boys basketball game at Leslie Byrd Henderson Gymnasium.
The Wildcats defeated Hamburg 67-58 on senior night, clinching a top-three finish in the conference. Senior Jabaree Smith scored 31 points, followed by senior Joseph Dockett with 21 to lead the Wildcats (11-13, 5-3 in 4A-8).
Watson Chapel Coach Jevon Barnes said both players are underrated.
“(Smith) is undersized, so a lot of coaches won’t look at him, but he can flat out score it whenever his mind is made up. I wish it was senior night every night if he’s going to play like that. … Whatever coach gives (Dockett) an opportunity, they gonna get a steal from him. He’s been working his behind off, and tonight was just a special moment to see him on senior night get to 1,000 points.”
Smith made five 3-pointers and was fouled while shooting two more. He scored 21 points in the first half. Smith was quieter in the second half, but he nailed a vital 3-pointer in the final two minutes to cut short a Hamburg (6-15, 3-5) comeback attempt.
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Smith said after his third 3-pointer, he knew his final home game was going to be special.
“I was feeling it from the first shot to the last one,” Smith said. “I was feeling hot all night, I’m not gonna lie. It was great energy around all day, so I knew I was going to have a great game today.”
With 2.5 seconds remaining, Dockett scored a layup which didn’t affect the outcome of the game but meant a lot to him. Those final 2 points got him to the 1,000-point mark for his career in his final home game.
Watson Chapel called a timeout after his shot as the bench emptied to celebrate with him.
Dockett said he was glad to reach the milestone at home rather than in one of Watson Chapel’s upcoming road games.
“The support here is crazy,” Dockett said. “Chapel is just one of the best places to hoop at. The environment, I love it here.”
The Wildcats opened the night on a 7-0 run and remained in control much of the game. They led 53-38 entering the fourth quarter, but Hamburg didn’t give up.
The Lions hit two 3-pointers midway through the fourth quarter and cut the Watson Chapel lead to 59-54 with under 2:39 to play. Smith’s final 3-pointer came with 1:21 remaining and helped the Wildcats keep their lead. Hamburg hit a 3-pointer in response but didn’t score from the field again afterward.
GIRLS: Watson Chapel 70, Hamburg 34
Watson Chapel junior Maranda Emerson scored her 1,000th point as the Lady Wildcats dominated Hamburg.
Head coach Lenell Brown said the final home game of the year was the perfect time for her to reach the mark and be recognized for it.
“She never knew how many points she had,” Brown said. “I kind of kept it a secret between me and my staff. We knew that she only really needed 6 points tonight, so we just thought, why not have it tonight instead of going on the road and trying to do it or waiting until next year. So, we thought tonight would be the perfect night, and I think she enjoyed the moment.”
Watson Chapel (20-4, 8-0) let five seniors start the game, so Emerson came off the bench initially. She scored 2 points in the first quarter, then hit two 3-pointers in the second quarter to reach the milestone.
Later in the quarter, Watson Chapel called a timeout 1:50 before halftime and surprised Emerson with a special game ball and recognized her during the stoppage in the action.
Emerson said it meant a lot for Watson Chapel to take the time mid-game to honor her.
“I was surprised,” Emerson said. “I cried. I didn’t know what was going on. I was just so surprised.”
Emerson went on to finish with 15 points, as did senior Kha’leyce Cooper.
Hamburg (7-14, 3-5) hung around until midway through the third quarter. After a 6-0 Lady Lion run cut Watson Chapel’s lead to 34-27, the Lady Wildcats ended the third and opened the fourth on a 34-4 run. A 3-point play by Hamburg senior Za’Niya Mooney with 3:04 remaining in the third was the last field goal the Lady Lions scored.
Mooney led Hamburg with 14 points.